For Young South African Professionals

Millennials have earned an extraordinary reputation for needing flexible hours to work. Being a night owl, university allowed me to work whenever I want (at the risk of sounding like a prostitute – I do some of my best work after the sun goes down). As such I tend to take home work at night and get twice as much done as I have during an entire day.
Moreover, as young professionals we need to prove ourselves. Missing a deadline isn’t acceptable on your first project. Many employers seem to expect professionals not to hesitate working past 9-5 and so we trek home with our laptops and spend an evening whipping up a proposal of project outline.
I have an older colleague who continuously discourages me from taking work home. However, I soon learned that my manager expects me to go the extra mile after knock-off time.
Giving the extra 10% after office hours not only shows you to be committed and dedicated to your professional career, but boosts your productivity and gains you a reputation as hard worker. While it may feel like it goes unnoticed, it puts a valuable bargaining chip in your pocket when anybody questions your commitment to your company or career.

This all being said, balance is key and once you have mastered giving the extra 10% and having a life and interests outside your office job, I’m pretty sure you win at adulting.

Tersia

Tersia Landsberg – founder of Business Casual – is a farm girl turned public relations professional, currently working in Pretoria. She is also the unofficial leading authority on Harry Potter and research jargon. She proudly wears the badges of grammar nazi and writing addict. Since she can’t stop writing, she completed a research Master’s Degree in Communication Management and is now a PhD candidate of the NWU. It's really easy to make her happy - give her anything with a sheep or dachshund on it. Follow her on Twitter: @BestTersiaEver; on Pinterest for work fashion, DIY for small spaces and baby animals; or Instagram where she occasionally posts images of her dog.